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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22535896">Diplomacy</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherFleur/pseuds/CherFleur'>CherFleur</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>SGA drabble fic [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stargate - All Media Types, Stargate Atlantis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Atlantis Avatar - Freeform, Atlas - Freeform, Daily life on Atlantis, Gen, Sentient Atlantis</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 13:14:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,142</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22535896</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherFleur/pseuds/CherFleur</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Each civilization is different. Has different rules.</p>
<p>Living ones are complex and ever changing, and yet some things are the same, just with different faces.</p>
<p>Atlantis likes to watch them change and grow, as best that they can, and perhaps has Atlas give a hand here and there.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>SGA drabble fic [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1616983</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Diplomacy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Another little tidbit I managed to get out.</p>
<p>Let me know if you see typos or grammar issues!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the side of their Existence they had had many living ones who were the Ruling Body. Often, they were Council's of Contemporaries, of various factions within a civilization.</p>
<p>Rarely was it a single individual, because those types of societies, after reaching a certain level of technological advancement, rarely lasted. As people themselves reached a level of intellect that allowed them the perspective of not being beneath another's existence. In their experience, systems such as monarchies devolved into dictatorships and then were inevitably destabilized and overthrown by the masses.</p>
<p>These Descendants were so young, though. So very inexperienced.</p>
<p>SENTINEL 3 stated that they were still in the stages of their development that made them separate governments on a single planet. That they still warred amongst themselves over petty squabbles involving land and currency.</p>
<p>Perhaps that was the majority of the Descendants on Earth, but Atlantis enjoyed the members of the Expedition that had been sent to them.</p>
<p>Their Atlas had taken to setting data pads of past diplomatic relations from their Third Ones amongst the Pegasus Natives on Elizabeth Weir’s desk. Has nudged Teyla into discussing past foreign policies that wouldn’t occur to her that the Earthers would not know.</p>
<p>Such common knowledge could mean less lives lost amongst those living beings that Atlantis and their younger systems had watched over for so long.</p>
<p>Satedans had revolted against the smothering tutelage of the Lanteans because they were barred from reaching their potential under the condescension of the Third Ones.</p>
<p>Omarans had destroyed themselves rather than become food for the mistakes of their <em>gods</em>, the Ancestors that had betrayed them.</p>
<p>Quiliaks had fled from the experiments that had consumed half of their population and created the Wraith; they had carefully erased their own pasts and so did not remember their traumas.</p>
<p>To look upon the peoples of Pegasus as if one was <em>better</em>, was a sure way of causing conflict where there need be none. People like their engineer were easily brushed off, his flighty, nervous acidity something more amusing than condescending. People like their Sheppard and his soldiers were easily accepted for their tension and militant response to a threat.</p>
<p>Healers were beloved in Pegasus, and so their Carson would be safe.</p>
<p>And yet.</p>
<p>Elizabeth Weir was not a cruel woman; if anything, she had a compassion that was charming. No, she was not cruel or cold. She was educated and well spoken, she was calm and thorough. She did not panic in the face of danger but solidified herself and her stance.</p>
<p>She was a diplomat.</p>
<p>It was she, who was in danger of tipping the scales in Pegasus, however.</p>
<p>Atlantis had seen more of her than most, had a fragment of a time that would remain undone hidden away in their depths. Elizabeth was a kind woman, but she was desperately searching for a <em>reason</em>, and she was of a mind that those that came before, who had lived once in Atlantis’ halls, were <em>better</em>. It had broken her, to realize that this was not that case; that there were no untainted people in existence.</p>
<p>There was little that Atlas could do to mitigate this realization in <em>this </em>Elizabeth’s future, but they would try to ease the acceptance as much as possible.</p>
<p>Earth had been able to forget the cruelties done to the people there, had banished their evils long ago with the revolution against Ra.</p>
<p>Pegasus was hundreds of worlds who had lived under the oppression of mistakes that had been thrust upon them by those who had abandoned them and was slowly killing them all.</p>
<p>There was no reverence in this Galaxy for the Ancestors.</p>
<p>~*~</p>
<p>Atlas liked Radek.</p>
<p>He was quietly excitable, and he enjoyed playing with the children and teaching them things that other scientists were hesitant to. There was a similar enthusiasm and delight in the sight of Atlantis’ crystal matrices in him as there was in their engineer.</p>
<p>A small, wiry man, Atlas had watched with pleasure as he’d struck a Marine so hard in the cranium with nothing but a fist and knocked him unconscious.</p>
<p>Honestly, diplomacy meant little here.</p>
<p>“Oh dear,” he had muttered in his language, glancing back at the cheering of the children who had surrounded the scientist who was being harassed. It had been a lesson time. “Rodney is going to raise his blood pressure.”</p>
<p>Kindness was a small thing, but the children gave them secretive smiles when Atlas lifted the unconscious marine over a shoulder easily. It was often the youngest who saw the clearest, and they let their eyes shimmer for a moment to the delight of the children. Little hands waved and shushed each other even as they gossiped silently with twitches of empathy and hands.</p>
<p>Athosians were a soothingly people, the mental energies they manipulated amongst themselves gentle against their sensors.</p>
<p>They were little lights sheltered under the intensity of Atlantis’s Existence.</p>
<p>Radek and the scientist were quietly speaking into their radios to report the incident. In another part of the city Atlas got to witness Rodney becoming enraged with worry over the potential injury to his staff. While outwardly his appearance changed little, Sheppard’s energy shifted dangerously at the thought of his people assaulting one of the scientists while his teammate raged.</p>
<p>The leaders here were good; Atlas had high hopes for their development.</p>
<p>Stepping into the infirmary and setting down the unconscious marine Atlas smiled at the concerned Carson.</p>
<p>“What happened here then?”</p>
<p>“Radek,” they said easily, wearing Athosian skin. “This one was bothering Dr. Xua.”</p>
<p>Concern swiftly turned to a scowl and the man looked offended even by the idea of it, and Atlas was warmed by this Descendant. Despite his displeasure he still went about checking over his new patient and making him comfortable.</p>
<p>“Did’ya happen to drop him on the way?”</p>
<p>His tone was almost hopeful.</p>
<p>“Alas, not this time, dear doctor,” they tilted their head fondly. “Perhaps if there are any future incidents, I will have a weaker grip.”</p>
<p>As they watched the young Descendant work, Atlas also witnessed Rodney patting down his two exasperated scientists. Somehow it came down to Radek reassuring him that he would <em>of course</em> punch a marine for Rodney if he needed him to. What were friends for?</p>
<p>Sheppard was amused, but likely still plotting disheartening drills for his subordinates. Also a potential appointment for the marine in question with the psychiatrist on staff; it was unusual for the men to act as such.</p>
<p>Perhaps some things would repeat in the future, but perhaps some things would change. These were good, kind living ones, after all.</p>
<p>For the Elizabeth who had slowly been dying inside them for thousands of years, they certainly hoped so.</p>
<p>Atlas would guide them as best they could, and Atlantis would shelter them so that they might grow passed their predecessors.</p>
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